Diver dies after submarine wreck trip

A DIVER died last night as he was being taken to a decompression chamber after being rescued from a First World War submarine wreck 150ft under the North Sea.

Brian Hartley, 35, of Whitby, North Yorkshire, got into difficulties and was flown by RAF helicopter to be placed in the chamber so he could recover from excess nitrogen in his body. But he was found to be dead when taken to South Tyneside General Hospital at South Shields.

A Coastguard spokesman said Mr Hartley and colleagues were diving to the submarine wreck more than two miles off Whitby. After he failed to surface at the expected time, two friends dived down and had to bring him quickly to the surface, leading to the need for a decompression chamber. He died in the ambulance soon after being transferred from the helicopter.